Lingyin Temple and Flying Peak

Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺) and the carved cliffs of Flying Peak (飞来峰) have been free since 1 December 2025, but you can't just turn up. Every visitor needs a real-name booking on the 「杭州灵隐飞来峰」 mini-program in WeChat or Alipay. Slots open at 08:00 each day for the next seven days, in two sessions: 07:30 to 12:00 and 12:00 to 17:00. One booking covers Flying Peak, Lingyin Temple and the Yongfu and Taoguang temples higher up the valley. Bring the original passport you booked with, as it is checked against your face at the gate. Allow three hours.

For where Lingyin fits in a Hangzhou trip, see the Hangzhou travel guide.

Booking rules worth knowing

The scenic area tightened the system on 1 February 2026, after the first two months of free entry. As of the January 2026 notice:

• Seven days ahead, from 08:00. New slots are released every morning. Weekend and holiday slots go first.
• Up to five people per phone number per booking. Children aged 14 and under are added to an adult's booking ("补录儿童票"), up to three per adult.
• No walk-up registration. The on-site registration windows closed on 1 February 2026. If your date is full, join the online waiting list (线上候补) before 20:00 the day before.
• Cancel by 17:00 the day before. If you don't show up and haven't cancelled, the booking account and the visitor are both barred from booking for 30 days. A second no-show means 60 days.
• No booking needed for visitors aged 70 and over and some other priority groups (people with disability certificates, serving military and others), who enter with their ID.

Each ID can enter once a day. Older blog posts quoting separate paid tickets for Flying Peak and the temple are out of date.

Which session? On weekdays the morning is busier. At weekends and on holidays the peak comes around 14:00. If you can, book a weekday afternoon or be at the gate at 07:30.

Getting there

There is no metro station at the gate. The simplest routes:

• Bus 7 from Hangzhou station (城站, metro Lines 1 and 5, exit A) runs to the Lingyin terminus.
• Metro Line 3 to Huanglongdong (exit B), then bus 505. Or Line 3 to Dongyue (exit D), then the Chengxi Park–Lingyin shuttle.
• Taxi drop-offs are directed to set-down points away from the gate at busy times, with shuttles onward.

Parking near the temple is very limited. If you drive, use the Chengxi Leisure Park car park and the shuttle. Allow extra time on weekends, since the narrow Lingyin Road backs up.

The route through the valley

From the gate the path runs up the valley between Flying Peak and a stream, and the temple comes after the cliffs. Most people rush past the cliffs on the way in. Don't.

Flying Peak (飞来峰). A limestone hill whose caves and cliffs carry more than 400 Buddhist carvings made between the Five Dynasties and the Yuan dynasty. The Song carvings are the most numerous. The fat, laughing Maitreya (Budai) with his attendants is the best known and the most photographed. The Yuan carvings show the influence of Tibetan Buddhism, which is unusual to find this far east. Paths are uneven and wet in places, so give it an hour.

Lingyin Temple. The monk Huili, who came from India, founded the temple in 326 under the Eastern Jin. It has been rebuilt many times since. The Kangxi Emperor renamed it Yunlin Chan Temple (云林禅寺), and the name still hangs over the entrance, but nobody uses it. The halls climb the slope one behind another. In the Mahavira Hall, the great seated Shakyamuni is carved from camphor wood. It dates from 1956, so it isn't ancient, but it is impressive. This is a working monastery: dress modestly, keep your voice down in the halls, and don't photograph monks at prayer without asking.

Yongfu and Taoguang temples. Most visitors turn back after Lingyin, so the upper temples are much quieter. Taoguang Temple is a steep climb above the valley, through bamboo and old trees. Add an hour if you go up.

Pairing with the rest of the day

The Yue Fei Temple is on the way back towards the lake on the north shore, a short taxi or bus ride, and makes a good afternoon after a morning slot. Don't plan a full West Lake walk on the same day. Three hours of temple steps and a 10 km lake walk are too much for most people. If you have an afternoon slot, do the north shore of the lake in the morning instead, then catch a bus up.

Leifeng Pagoda at sunset and Hefang Street for dinner are better on the lake day.

Before you go

• A booking for your date and session, under the passport you'll carry.
• The cancellation deadline (17:00 the day before) if your plans change.
• Shoes with grip for the Flying Peak paths.
• Clothing suitable for a working temple.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lingyin Temple free?

Yes, since 1 December 2025. Entry to the Lingyin and Flying Peak scenic area, including the temple, is free, but you need a real-name booking.

How do I book Lingyin Temple?

Through the 「杭州灵隐飞来峰」 mini-program in WeChat or Alipay, up to seven days ahead, from 08:00 each day. Foreign visitors book with their passport number.

Can I visit Lingyin without a reservation?

Only if you're 70 or over or in another exempt group. Walk-up registration ended on 1 February 2026. If your date is full, use the online waiting list before 20:00 the day before.

How long do you need at Lingyin Temple?

About three hours for Flying Peak and the temple, and four if you climb to Taoguang Temple.